FitBit: BECAUSE HEALTH IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS

Fitbit Inc. manufactures wearable fitness-tracking devices worldwide. It was founded in 2007 by Eric Friedman and James Park, who saw the potential for using sensors in small, wearable devices. These small, wireless-enabled, wearable technology devices monitor the calories burned or the distance covered to calculate the fitness of the users. Fitbit products inspire people to exercise more and eat better, inspiring people to lead healthier and happier lives.

The very first tracker that the company came up with was dubbed simply the Fitbit, which now is called the Fitbit Classic. It was a small black and teal device which could be clipped discreetly onto clothing and worn. The Fitbit Classic keeps track of the number of steps and distance covered as well as calories burned and intensity of the activity. It was also built to monitor how well do you sleep.

Later in 2011, the company announced the Fitbit Ultra, which was powered by a small lithium polymer battery and also featured a digital clock and a stopwatch to time activities. It came in new colors like plum or blue, opposed to the original black and teal.

Fitbit One was announced in 2012, which is an update to the Fitbit Ultra. It was the first wireless activity tracker to sync using Bluetooth 4.0 or Bluetooth Smart Technology. It records several daily activities as the number of steps taken, distance travelled on foot, number of floors climbed, calories burned, sleep efficiency, delicate movements during sleep, number of wake-ups during sleep, etc.

Later in 2012, Fitbit Zip was launched. Its USP was its size as it was only as big as a quarter and included a disposable battery, but it was only a little efficient as it could only track the number of steps taken among all the different things that the earlier models of Fitbit trackers were capable of doing.

A more flexible and easy to use device Fitbit Flex was launched in 2013, which is a device that one could wear on the wrist. It was capable of tracking the bodily movements 24 x 7 including the sleep patterns. It came with the certain special features that the earlier versions lacked in like; a display of 5 LED lights which indicated the number of steps taken in a day, and a vibrator to indicate that the goal for the day has been accomplished. It is water-resistant and could be worn even while showering. Fitbit Force, with little additional features was launched later that year.

On October 2014, the company announced the Charge HR and Fitbit Surge. The Charge HR includes a heart-rate monitor and a 5-day battery life. The Surge is more like a smart watch than an activity tracker. It includes a heart rate monitor and the ability to track pace, distance, and elevation.

Awards and recognition

It has won many awards including the runner-up at TechCrunch50 in 2008 and CES 2009 Innovation Honoree in the best in health & wellness category.

Fitbit products help people to achieve their health goals and have a better lifestyle.